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Beginning in 2000, the Strategic Planning Committee, encouraged by the Clark University Board of Trustees, initiated the process to develop a strategic plan that would elevate the Alumni Association to the next level. |
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Strategic Plan Update
May 18,
2002
The Alumni Association is pleased to report continued
progress in the implementation of the Alumni Associationís Strategic Plan,
adopted by the Board last October. As Dimitry Anselme ë93 prepares to assume
the presidency of the Alumni Association, we are on track and gaining momentum.
Some key highlights of our progress include:
°E
Overall implementation is moving ahead at a good pace.
We are about where we expected to be at this point.
The Committee recognized that success in the first year of implementation
would be measured more by the number of activities launched than by outcomes,
although some of the outcomes - like almost 1,500 alumni registered users of the
new on-line community - have been impressive.
Our emphasis continues to be on the first three goals as key to future
successes. Specific activities
related to each of the five goals are outlined in some detail below.
°E
The Alumni Association is continuing to expand its reach to all of
our alumni and future alumni including the Class of 2002.
In the more detailed progress outlined below, you
will see that we are continuing to ask two key questions:
1.
How
effective is the plan in transforming the role of alumni
at Clark?
2.
How do we measure the extent to which the plan is making a
difference in the overall level of engagement of our alumni?
We
are very pleased at the increased visibility of alumni activities and we fully
expect that increases in alumni gifts - to the Clark Fund, the Legacy Society
and other capital campaigns - will follow, building on the re-engagement
fostered by our new activities.
The new resources that Alumni Affairs has been
given have enabled us to expand the foundation and put key building blocks in
place to achieve even greater levels of success.
Coordination among alumni,
faculty, staff and students has improved. Everyone agrees that we all will
benefit from following the principles and goals put forth in the plan.
Goal 1: Communication
°E
We increased both the number of regional events and attendance
this year. The number of regional events went from 26 last year to 40.
Attendance rose from 1,044 to 1,250 (projected through May 31).
°E
Approximately 1,500 alumni have registered for the on-line
community. This represents about six percent of our
alumni. We have had alumni from around the world - Israel, Japan, France,
Sweden, India, the UK and Canada - register with our community.
°E
We have almost 6,000 alumni e-mail addresses on file, more than
one-quarter of our alumni.
°E
Public Affairs has coordinated timely coverage of Alumni
Association events in Clark News. We
have expanded our web pages covering alumni activities as well.
°E
The addition of another staff member has allowed Alumni Affairs to
do more with current students, including hosting receptions for the incoming
class last fall and for the graduating seniors this month, the expansion of SARC
to 70 students, enhanced support for Pasticcio and work with the Senior Class
Gift Committee. SARC coordinated a regional conference this year that attracted
over 250 representatives from more than 15 other colleges including two from
Canada.
°E
We have also placed a higher emphasis on developing
constituency-related alumni programming like the two GSOM alumni events we
hosted and last fallís Alumni Athlete Homecoming.
GOAL 2: Leadership and
Governance
°E
We have increased coordination with the Clark Fund, where a new
Class Agent system has been put in place for the reunion classes from last year
and this year. This system will be
expanded as we move through the next three years so that all classes will have
class agents in place by Reunion 2005.
°E
We have enhanced our relationship with our alumni-elected
trustees, by having one of them report in person at each Alumni Council meeting,
keeping the Council up to date on important issues confronting the University.
°E
We have established alumni communities in six cities - Boston,
Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Each community has a
Web page on the on-line community for local news and updates.
The
success of our efforts in communication and governance will be critical to our
success in raising additional monies for the Clark Fund and future capital
campaigns.
Goal 3:
Financial
While the September 11 tragedy has affected our fund
raising, we are pleased that alumni contributions to the Clark Fund are running
even with last year at this time (April 30) even though fewer alumni have
contributed.
°E
We have improved our working relationship with the Clark Fund
through the efforts of Faith Linsky the Alumni Associationís Second Vice
President.
°E
We have continued the very successful Reunion Gift Challenge which
last year resulted in a 40 percent increase in total reunion giving to $337,300
(final total after Reunion). To date this year the Challenge has raised $193,000, which is
already an increase over last yearís final number for those classes
celebrating their Reunion in 2002.
°E
We expect to have 100 percent participation in the Clark Fund by
the members of the Alumni Council.
°E
Alumni are heading the committee that is raising the $6.0 million
for the Dolan Field House.
Goal 4: Academic and Admission
Issues
°E
We worked with Alumni Admissions and improved the training and
coordination of the program. Working with Admissions staff, Clark alumni have
completed over 850 interviews. This
is only one effort that the University has made to improve our yield for the
Class of 2006.
°E
We helped the Class of 2005 move in last August and the Alumni
Council hosted a barbecue for them in September.
We are planning the same activities for the Class of 2006.
°E
The Alumni Association and the Clark Fund sponsored ìCookies and
Finals Supportî in the library and dormitories during exams in the fall and
spring.
°E
We have increased the visibility of the Alumni Association among
undergraduates by increasing membership in SARC, working with the Senior Week
Committee and the Senior Class Gift Committee. Various Alumni Council members
have made presentations at career panels. Dimitry
Anselme addressed the Gryphon & Pleiades Student Leadership Retreat.
And, Michael Ross ë93 was the keynote speaker at the Student Alumni
Association District Conference, hosted by Clark in February.
Goal 5: Key Values and Ethics
°E
We continue to look for ways to highlight our alumni who are
making a difference in the world. We plan to feature Dimitry Anselme ë93 and
his work at Facing History in an upcoming issue of Clark News.
°E
We are continuing the mentoring program at the University Park
Campus School. This program
connects alumni with students at UPCS for career guidance, life advice and fun.
We are planning a celebration for the spring of 2003 when the first class
will graduate from UPCS.
In summary, we remain encouraged that the Alumni
Association Strategic Plan has helped Clarkís
alumni participate more fully in the life of the University. We expect the
on-line community and regional communities to foster greater cohesion among our alumni
and we plan to use technology to reach out to them in even more significant
ways. We will be pursuing the
development of an Alumni Center as part of our ongoing efforts to raise our
visibility and influence. We know that our implementation efforts will take time
but we are certain that we will be successful in raising Clarkís image and
increasing alumni giving.
We could not have reached this point without your
involvement and we thank you for your participation.
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